Choke valve actuator



March 3, 1936. E, H N 2,032,752

CHOKE VALVE ACTUATOR Filed Nov. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ernest JHLfner- March 3, 1936.

E. J. HIFNER 2,032,752.

CHOKE VALVE ACTUATOR Filed NOV. 1, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 21 :m m st;

l! |ll M5. Ifillm 7 "6 i lll/ I 4 m Mp 4 7 g 941 Patented Mar. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES DFFICE CHOKE VALVE ACTUATOR Ernest James Hifner, Lexington, Ky., assignor to Nancy T. Hifner, Lexington, Ky.

My invention relates to an automatic choke actuator.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character 5 which will quickly close the choke valve when the 'engine is cranked and open the choke valve, partly or wholly, when the engine starts operating upon its own power and will also retain the choke valve open when the engine warms up to or above the normal working temperature.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character, which is adjustable to accommodate itself to the work ing conditions of the engine.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character which is wholly automatic in operation and reliable in such operation.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a device embdying my invention, showing the same in use,

Figure 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the suction operated unit of the device, I

' Figure 3 is a transverse section taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a valve element included in the device,

Figure 5 is a central vertical longitudinal section through a thermostatic valvFdevice included in the invention,

Figure 6 is a transverse section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 5,

Figure '7 is a horizontal section taken on line of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the suction operated unit of the device, showing the outer sliding tube in the lowered or contracted position, and,

Figure '9 is a perspective view of the elements of a housing.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral l0 designates the cylinders of an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold H. The numeral I2 is the carburetor having an air intake pipe l3. The carburetor has the usual throttle valve I 4 controlling its outlet and this throttle valve is actu- Cal all

ated by a crank l5 connected with the accelerator,

as is customary. Arranged within the air intake pipe I3 is a pivoted choke valve i6, which is held in the open position when the engine is not running and also when it is heated up to or above a normal working temperature. The swinging movement of this choke valve is controlled entirely by the actuator unit, to be described.

This actuator unit embodies a suction casing or chamber ll, preferably horizontally arranged. This casing has feet or brackets l8 so that it may be bolted in position. The casing may be located at any suitable position upon the engine or chassis, The suction casing I! is provided near one end and upon its top with a valve casing IS, the upper end of which is closed by a removable cap or plug 20. A suction pipe 2| is connected with the cap 20 and communicates with the interior of the valve casing IS. The cap 20 is provided with a depending annular valve seat 22, to be engaged by an upwardly seating disk-valve 23, adapted to rest upon a flange 24, when in the unseated position. This disk-valve is provided with a central opening and two outer openings 26. A weight-tube 21 is carried by the disk-valve 23 and its bore communicates with the opening 25 and has the same diameter. The diameters of the openings 25 and 26 are identical, and the combined cross-sectional areas of these three openings 25 and 26 is equal to the cross section area of the bore of the suction pipe 2|. When the disk-valve 23 is in the unseated position resting upon the flange 24 the three openings 25 and 26 are uncovered and hence the entire degree of suction within the pipe 2| is transmitted to the suction casing I1. When the disk-valve 23 is raised and engages the seat 22, openings 26 are cut out of communication with the bore of the pipe 2|, and hence the transmission of suction from the pipe 2i to the casing I! is reduced. It might be stated at this point that when the engine is cranked and not operating upon its fuel, a suction is created in the pipe 2| but not sufficient to seat the disk-valve 23, whereby this entire suction is transmitted to the casing l1. When the engine starts to operate upon its fuel, the suction in the pipe 2i is rapidly increased to such an extent that the disk valve 23 is seated, cutting off communication between the openings 26 a d the pipe 2!, whereby this suction is transmitted to the casing ll only through the central opening 25, thus reducing the degree of suction within the casing H. The degree of suction within the casing ll may also be regulated by a needle valve 21, which bleeding port 28.

A suction operated element is provided, comprising an upstanding tube 23, rigidly attached to the casing l1. Mounted to slide upon this tube is an outer tube 30, having an air-tight fit therewith. The upper end of this tube is closed by a head 3|. This head projects laterally beyond the tube 30 and is preferably formed square. A support'or guard 32 is rigidly attached to the casing I1 and is vertically arranged and surrounds the telescoping tubes 29 and 30. This support or guard is square in horizontal cross-section and the head 3| slidably contacts therewith and is thereby held against turning movement. A stationary spacer 33 is rigidly attached to this support or guard and has an opening for the free passage of the outer tube 30. A compressible coil spring 34 is arranged between the spacer 33 and the head 3i and serves to elevate the outer tube 30, while a retractile coil spring 35 is arranged beneath the spacer and is attached thereto and also attached to the lower end of the tube 30 and serves to raise the outer tube 30. By the arrangement of its springs and the spacer, the operation of.

these springs in opposing the downward movement of the tube 36 remains uniform throughout the entire downward movement of the tube 30, that is, these springs do not exert an increased force opposing the downward movement of the tube 30 as the tube approaches its lowermost position.

Arranged above the head 3| is a vertical rod 36,

rigidly attached thereto and this rod carries a transverse pin 31 operating within an elongated slot 38 formed in one arm 39 of a bell crank lever, which is pivoted at 40. The other arm 4| of this bell crank lever is connected by means of a rodor wire 42 with the crank ll of the choke valve I 6. The suction pipe 2| is connected with a two-way valve casing 43, which is rigidly mounted upon a stationary support 44, rigidly held in place upon the engine or chassis. This valve casing has a valve seat 45, for coaction with an upwardly seating valve element 46, having a stem extending through a stufling box 48 for forming an air-tight joint therewith. The stem is urged downwardly by a compressible coil spring 49 which normally holds the valve element 46 in the lower unseated position. The outlet end of the valve casing 43 is connected with a pipe 50, which leads into the intake manifold, as shown.

Arranged beneath the support 44 is a vertically adjustable slide 5!, operating within guides 52, and raised and lowered by an adjusting screw 53, having screw-threaded engagement with a lug 54, rigidly attached to the slide 5|. The adjusting screw 53 has a swivelled connection with a stationary arm 55, arranged above the support 44. A generally U-shaped thermostatic element 56 has one arm rigidly attached to the slide 5|, at 51, while its upper free arm is arranged beneath and disposed to engage the lower end of the stem 41.

This thermostatic element may be of the usual' type formed of two metals having different coefl'lcients of expansion, whereby the upper arm of the thermostatic element rises and elevates the valve element 45, when the thermostatic element is heated.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When the engine is cold and is not running, the throttle lever is suitably adjusted to supply the gas and the choke valve i6 is standing open. The operator then steps on the starter and the engine is cranked and this immediately creates partly or wholly covers a suction within the pipe 2| above the disk-valve 23, as the valve element 46 is now completely opened, the thermostatic element 56 being cold; This suction within the pipe 2| is transmitted to the sucion casing I1 through the three holes 25 and 26 as this suction is not sufflcientto seat the valvedisk 23. However, the suction transmitted to the casing I! is sufiicient to quicky move the outer casing I'I entirely through the single reduced opening 25, and this reduces the suction within the suction casing ll, so that the springs34 and 35 now overcome this suction action and shift the tube 30 upwardly, again opening the 'choke valve, in whole or part. The needle valve 21 has been adjusted to control the bleeding action of the port 28, and this bleeding action is regulated with respect to the degree of suction passing through the single port 25, so that the suction is lowered sufficiently within the casing I! to permit the springs to shift the tube 30 upwardly, as explained. As the engine continues to operate upon the explosive charge, the disk-valve 23 remains seated, whereby the suction remains reduced in the casing l1, and the choke valve remains open. During this operation of the engine upon the explosive charge, the thermostatic element 56 is heated and operates to gradually seat the valve element 46. This further reduces the suction within the casing l1 and finally when the valve element 46 is seated,'suction is entirely cut oil from the casing l1 and the remaining suction therein is dissipated through the bleeding port 28. Hence when the engine is operating on its own power at or above normal temperature the valve element 46 is seated and the choke valve remains entirely open. When the engine is operating on its own power, at or below normal temperature, the disk 23 is in the upper position and the vacuum is transmitted below the disk only through the central hole 25. The valve element 46 begins to close, due to the action of the thermostatic action of the element 56. The uncovered area of the bore of the valve seat 45 has to be equal to the area of the opening 25, before the disk-valve 23 drops. Accordingly, when the thermostatic element 56 moves the valve element 46 toward the seat 45, the area of the uncovered bore of the valve seat must equal the area of the opening 25, and when this occurs, the disk valve will drop. When this occurs, the valve element 46 is very close to its seat, and may be only about .005 of an inch from contact with the seat 45, and the tension, of the springs 34 and 35 is so great that it cannot be overcome by any reduced suction which could pass the valve element 46 when it is brought sufliciently close to its seat 45, to cause the disk valve 23 to drop, and-hence there is no downward movement of the outer tube 30.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device having communication with the intake manifold to receive suction there-. from and connected with the normally open choke valve to close the same when the engine is cranked, and automatic means to reduce the suction within the suction operated device upon the increase of suction within the intake manifold due to the operation of the engine upon its fuel.

2. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device having communication with the intake manifold to receive suction therefrom and connected with the normally open choke valve to close the same when the engine is cranked, and means actuated upon the increase of suction within the intake manifold to reduce the means of communication between such manifold and suction operated device so that the suction within such device is lowered and the choke valve moved toward the open position when the engine operates upon its fuel.

3. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device connected with the choke valve to close it yielding means operating in opposition to the suction operated device to open the choke valve, a conduit connecting the suction operated device and the intake manifold, and an automatic valve connected in the conduit, said valve including a valve element adapted when seated to afford a reduced passage and when unseated to produce a passage which is greater than the reduced passage; said valve element being adapted to remain unseated when the engine is being cranked and to be automatically seated by the increased suction when the engine is operating upon it fuel.

4. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device connected with the choke valve to close it, yielding means operating in opposition to the suction operated device to open the choke valve, a conduit connecting the suction operated device and the intake manifold, an automatic valve connected in the conduit and remaining unseated when the engine is cranked and being automatically seated by the increased suction when the engine is operated upon its fuel, said valve affording a reduced passage when seated and a passagegreater than the reduced passage when unseated, and means for affording a restricted communication between the interior of a suction operated device and the atmosphere for regulating the degree of suction therein.

5. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device connected with the choke valve to close it, yielding means operating in opposition to the suction operated device to open the choke valve, a conduit connecting the suction operated device and the intake manifold, a valve connected in the conduit and remaining unseated when then engine is cranked and being seated when the engine is operated upon its fuel, said valve affording a reduced passage when seated and a passage greater than the reduced passage when unseated,

open position, a conduit for connecting the suction operated device with the intake manifold of the engine, and an automatic valve connected in the conduit and including a valve element adapted to afford a reduced passage when seated and a larger passage when unseated, said valve element being so weighted that it remains unseated when the engine is cranked and is automatically seated by the increased suction when the engine operates upon its fuel.

'7. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a carbu retor having a normally open choke valve, of a. suction operated device having communication with the intake manifold to receive'suction therefrom and connected with the normally open choke valve to close the samewhen the engine is cranked, automatic means to reduce the suction within the suction operated device upon the increase of suction within the intake manifold due to the operation of the engine upon its fuel, a valve device for controlling the communication between the suction operated device and the intake manifold, and a thermostatic element to actuate the valve device and arrangedsuitably near the engine to be acted upon by the heat therefrom.

8. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device having communication with the intake manifold to receive suction therefrom and connected with the normally open choke valve to close the same when the engine is cranked, automatic means to reduce the suction within the suction operated device upon the increase of suction within the intake manifold due to the operation of the engine-upon its fuel, a valve device for controlling the communication between the suction operated device and the intake manifold, a thermostatic element to actuate the valve device and arranged suitably near the engine to be acted upon by the heat therefrom, and adjustable means to regulate the action of the thermostatic element.

9. The combination with the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a carburetor having a normally open choke valve, of a suction operated device having communication with the intake manifold to receive suction therefrom and connected with the normally open choke valve to close the same when the engine is cranked, automatic means to reduce the suction within the suction operated'device upon the increase of suction within the intake manifold due to the operation of the engine upon its fuel, and means to move the choke valve to the open position upon the reduction of suction within the suction operated device. 

